pendulum
Latest
Students build self-balancing TIPI robot, plan new world order (video)
Remember this guy, the QB robot that was priced at a whopping 15 grand? Seemingly, the webcam wheeler inspired a team of young minds at the University of Waterloo, who've unleashed the DIY in themselves to build one of their own. TIPI, or Telepresence Interface by Pendulum Inversion, was designed to give humans the feeling that they're not actually talking to a six-foot tall cyclops cyborg with an LCD face and webcam eye, but rather, evoke the emotions drawn when speaking the old, conventional, face-to-face way. Thanks to this team of mechatronics engineers, the low-cost TIPI uses an accelerometer, gyro and pendulum to balance by itself and can be remotely controlled while communicating via its Beagle Board and Polulu Orangutan SVP brain. Head past the break to see the robot struttin' its stuff -- oh, and get ready to rave. You'll see what we mean.
Self-balancing Domo-kun WobblyBot looks drunk, won't tip over (video)
He may look like he's had a few too many sake bombs, but this animated Japanese superstar is actually built to teeter about. The Domo-kun WobblyBot comes to us by way of Eastern Geek and uses a relatively simple pendulum, with the pivot situated at the axle, to keep the balancing bot from tipping over. As is the case with punching clowns, the bottom part of the WobblyBot is significantly heavier than the top, serving as a counterweight to maintain balance. It also sports DC Geared Motors and two D cells, and, as its creator points out, you can customize its shell to give your favorite cartoon character the tipsy treatment -- hyphy Hello Kitty anyone? Check out the source link to make a WobblyBot of your own, but only after having a laugh at the video just beneath the break.
Activision surprises DJ Hero 2 fans with Pendulum DLC
With two weeks left in February, each DJ Hero 2 or Guitar Hero DLC pack released seems like it could be the last one, thanks to Activision's announcement that it will curtail Hero DLC after this month. The latest set of tracks to make it out during this series countdown clock is a set of three tracks from the Australian group Pendulum. Interestingly, this pack had yet to be announced ahead of time, despite Activision's assertion that only what had already been announced would be available, and will be available today. The Pendulum Mix Pack includes "Watercolor," "Set Me On Fire," and "Salt in the Wounds" -- that last one maybe hitting a little close to home for DJ Hero/Guitar Hero fans -- andcosts 640 Microsoft Points or $7.99. Tracks can be purchased independently on Wii for 300 Wii Points each.
Visualized: the Power Mac G4 clock (update)
What do you do with that once state of the art Power Mac? Well, you could always empty the case and add a "cheap clock mechanism," in the words of our friend Justin -- who emailed us some pictures of his latest creation this morning. But don't forget the Mighty Mouse pendulum: that's what really won us over. Hit the source link for more glamor shots. Update: We just received an email from Justin, who inexplicably left out one crucial detail: this thing plays the Mac startup tone on the hour. Super geeky, or super annoying? We'll let you decide for yourself (although we suspect it's a combination of the two).
